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Every church needs to reach out and bring in new members in order to remain a living, vital entity -- yet there are many different ideas about what is the best way for Christian congregations to foster real growth. In recent years, what has been termed the "Church Growth Movement" (as exemplified in such best-selling books as The Purpose Driven Church and The Habits Of Highly Effective Churches) has come to the forefront with its agenda of meeting felt needs and targeting specific audiences. At the same time, there has been a less-publicized but pointed reaction to what some perceive as the church growth movement's misdirected zeal. And while the church growth movement has been very successful with new churches, its methods often fall short of satisfying the growth needs of established congregations.
In Built By The Owner's Design, Danny Von Kanel invites you into the drawing room of the Master Designer to examine His blueprints for evangelism and church growth. Employing the plumb line of God's Word, he makes it clear that God's way of growth and outreach is most effective. Von Kanel draws on a careful analysis of more than 50 churches in the Southern Baptist, United Methodist, and Presbyterian (USA) denominations to offer a viable alternative that charts a middle ground between overzealousness and declining attendance, identifying a proven framework that can support lasting growth in diverse situations. Several checklists are included that help you systematically evaluate your own congregation and develop a tailor-made growth plan based on your specific circumstances. Grounded in solid research and Von Kanel's own experience in several growing ministries, Built By The Owner's Design is an immensely practical resource that belongs in every pastor's library.
Danny Von Kanel wants to reach people for Christ! He has little patience with marketing gimmicks or shallow programs, and he is not afraid to take issue with some contemporary ways of doing church while suggesting what he thinks is a more biblical pattern. Built By The Owner's Design offers "planks" on which to build solid church growth, and includes surveys on evangelism, discipleship, teaching, and spiritual growth. This book will help churches rethink their outreach methods and redouble their efforts.
Don M. Aycock
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church
Palatka, Florida
Danny Von Kanel has been involved in ministry, freelance writing, and church growth consulting for more than 20 years. He has served congregations in Mississippi, Alabama, and Illinois, and is currently the Minister of Music and Education at First Baptist Church in Franklinton, Louisiana. Von Kanel's articles have appeared in numerous church leadership magazines, including Growing Churches, Church Administration, Today's Christian Preacher, Ministries Today, and many others. He is a graduate of William Carey College and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
